Chapter 15

“Are they gone?”

“Yes, Pet. They are.”

“Good.”

That was a surprise, and it must have shown on my face.

Ciara got up from her desk, and came to me, kneeling in front of me.

She had several pages of paper in her hand, but didn’t offer them. Instead, she went into Karta. She must be copying Crystal, before the tit whipping. Regardless, Ciara performed the movement, flawlessly. I was impressed.

As I had with Crystal, I asked, “You’ve something to say, Pet?”

With her face to the floor, Ciara said, “Master, this girl has made her list. And as she was making it, she realized the terrible influence that bitch has had on her, for more than a decade.

“Master, I met her, because my ex-husband, and her husband were friends from work.

“Starting right after Liam was born, she was always around. She controlled who I talked with, and who I saw. Most of the people on this list, she introduced me to. And none of them, not a single one, is really even a friend.

“She talked me into taking up with Rory, when Gerry was telling me I should drop her as a friend. And she’s the one that convinced me to use you, for going to court, during my divorce. Hell, she’s the one who convinced me to go through with the divorce!”

“No, Ciara. Your ex did that, all on his own. That seed was planted a long long time ago. The very first time he hit you.”

“Master, Please! None of the people I thought were friends, really is! They all used me, because SHE used me. She used them, to use me.”

I squatted down, and touched her shoulder. “Ciara, you still have friends. Some, maybe even most, are a bit mad at you, right now, but that’s because they care.

“Sean, Brenda, Big John...”

“No, he just wants to fuck me.”

“Because you let him think it was a possibility.” I stroked her hair, to comfort her.

“I know, I know...” Though she wasn’t crying, Ciara was trembling, and her eyes were wet.

“And, you will have a large pool of new friends, in my House.”

“Those old friendships will have to be repaired. The new ones are yet to be forged.

“Past is past. Now, we look to the future. WE, Ciara. Like I told you, over a year ago. You are not facing this, ANY of this, alone.”

My position was making my knees ache, so I stood back up, and said, “Come, Ciara, my Pet. On your feet.”

Ciara stood, as well, but she wouldn’t raise her head.

“Go get us a nice, warm blanket, Pet,” I said, softly. I want you to come cuddle with me, on the couch. There are some things we have to talk about, and some other things I must tell you.”

She turned away, towards her bedroom, and I whispered, “I love you, Ciara. You are mine, forever.”

I watched her posture straighten, and her head come up. Then she nodded, and strode to her room.

I turned and went into the Great Room, to sit on the couch.

Kayleigh was seated on the love seat, with both Zoey, and Lance, kneeling Nadu, at her feet.

Lance was obviously giving lessons in submission, to the girls. I just smiled, at Kayleigh, showing her that I approved of her using Lance.

Ciara came in, carrying a large quilt, that looked antique. When she reached me, I grabbed her, and spun her into my lap, then helped her spread the comforter over the two of us.

“Sion, do you ... Am I really yours, now?” Ciara asked.

“Yes,” I stated, simply.

“For ever?”

I sighed. “No, my pet, not for ever. Only until I die.” I shifted us around, until we were eye to eye.

“Shall I tell you what will happen?”

Ciara cautiously nodded.

“Tomorrow, or the next day, you are going to wake up, and hate yourself, for giving yourself to the Queen. You are going to hate her, for collaring you, and giving you to me. You are going to hate me, for accepting you, for stripping you, for beating you, and for making love, with you. You’ll tell yourself that I raped you.

“You are going to hate me, for making that bitch go away. There’s a sixty percent chance, you’ll call the police, and report me, for kidnapping and rape. And only a forty percent chance you’ll talk yourself out of it.

“The real reason you will hate me, is that I’ve taken you from your known, comfortable existence, and moved you into one that is totally uncomfortable, and unknown, to you. This scares you. You are going to react to that fear, with anger. You will at the least, rip that collar from your neck and fling it across whatever room you are in, when this all hits you.

“I know this, just as I know the sun will rise, in the morning.

“Lance is staying the night, here. It is my hope, that you will listen to him, if your crisis hits you, tomorrow. He’ll be guiding you through the day, helping you with the tasks you need to complete.

“Tomorrow evening, Kayleigh and Zoey, are going to meet my wife. Liam, also. You’ll be there, too, of course.

“If you haven’t reached your crisis point, tomorrow, another of the House’s sla ... Submissives, will spend tomorrow night, with you, here. He or she will help you with any tasks remaining from tomorrow, the next day.

“You aren’t going to stay here, tonight, Master?”

“Ciara, what did Madam say?”

“She said that Lance was to stay the night, here,” she said, dejectedly. That I was to bring him to the House, after I took care of business.” She’d answered the question, herself.

She looked up at me. “What business, was she talking about, Sion?”

“STD testing, Pet. That is your first priority, tomorrow. After the kids are in school, anyway.”

Ciara nodded, then shyly peaked at me. “She also told you to use a rubber.”

I started lightly stroking her tits. “I will, Pet. I will.”

“Why are you so sure I’ll hate you, again?”

I sighed. “Mistress Kayleigh,” I called. “May I interrupt your session, with Lance, please? I need his help with something.

“Of course you may, Master, Kayleigh said.

Lance stood, and came across the room, to kneel in front of us. “How may I serve, Master?”

“Lance, please tell Ciara, here, how your first few days in collar were.”

A look of pain crossed his face, but Lance did as I had asked.

“When Mistress Tawny first found me, I was a mess. I had screwed my life up, worse than you could possibly imagine. Mistress convinced me to try things her way, and became my Mistress, when I begged her to take charge of me.

“About three days later, I got to thinking that She, and the House, were taking advantage of me. That they had tricked me, somehow. I was enraged that anyone would try to make me their slave.

“Just like you, I was afraid, and my fear, was let out as rage.

“In my rage, I tried to kill Master Sion,” Ciara snapped her head around, and I just nodded.

“ ... but he just let me hit him. He didn’t try to defend himself, at all.

“Then, I broke down, and Master held me, while I cried. He told me everything was going to be okay. He wasn’t mad at me, that he understood my anger came from fear. Then, he told me, that I was always welcome, in the House, but if I couldn’t handle the lifestyle, I was free to leave, at any time I wanted to.

“So, I ran, Milady. I ran from Mistress, and my House. At least that’s what I told myself, in my head.

“What I was really running from, was myself.

“Mistress Tawny found me, a couple of weeks later. I was all fucked up, again, on heroin, and cheap whiskey. She got me into a rehab, and the House paid for it. She stayed with me, as much as the Doctors allowed, seeing me through the six weeks it took to get clean.

“After she signed me out, she walked me to the curb, where a taxi was waiting. She told me that the invitation of the House was still open, If I chose to accept it. If I didn’t, the driver would take me any where in town, that I wanted, and he’d already been paid. Then, she walked away.

“I rode around in that cab, for more than two hours, until I finally decided to go to House Morse, and ask Madam what she thought I should do.

“When I got to the House, the driver told me he could wait for up to another hour, if I wanted.

“I asked him to wait for me.

“I knocked on the door, and Madam answered it. She wanted to know why I’d knocked, because family just walked in.

“I told her that I was confused as to what I should do, that making decisions for myself was hard for me to do.

“Madam nodded, and I could tell she understood. Then she asked me, if I would stay with someone who loved me. Of course, I said yes. Madam took me upstairs, to Mistress Tawny’s room, and quietly opened the door.

“Mistress Tawny was laying on her bed, crying.

“I knew then, what I had to do. I entered her room, and knelt, waiting on my Mistress to notice me. Madam closed the door, and left us to ourselves.

“Now, I belong to Mistress Tawny, and my House. And, any time I feel things getting fucked up in my head, again, my House takes care of me. Mistress, herself, or Madam, or one of the other Doms. Even Master, himself, has taken me in hand, giving me what I need.”

He wrapped fingers through his collar, and said, “I also have the constant comfort of my collar, reminding me, that Mistress loves and wants me.

“And, so, I’ve given my life over to my Mistress, and my House.

“But you’ve told me you are straight,” Ciara said, addressing me. “A, ‘Flaming Heterosexual,’ as you put it.”

I nodded, “Yes, I am. That doesn’t preclude me from giving Lance what he needs.”

“What does he need, then, if not sex?”

It was going to take a long time, for Ciara to understand some simple concepts...

Lance answered, for me. “Milady, what Master gives me, is acceptance. He gives me the assurance that someone cares for me. That, even though he is straight, and I’m gay, the fact that I’m gay doesn’t matter. Mistress Tawny gives me the same, and I love her, for it. I love Master Sion, too. In fact, I love all my House, that I’ve met, and even some that I never have, except by phone, or on-line.

“But, most of all, Master lets me know that he wants me. He wants me, in his life. Madam, and Mistress, the same. I know they want me.” He poked his thumb into his chest.

I nodded and said, “A Dominant wants to be needed. A submissive needs to feel wanted. Apart they are empty shells. Together they are complete and whole.”

“And that’s why I stay,” Lance continued. “That’s why I want to stay. Because my Master, my Madam, and my Mistress want me. And, I need them.”

I had felt Ciara relax, just a little, when Lance stated his sexual preference. Damn. I was going to hold that back, just to keep her nervous, and distracted. Oh, well.

“Ciara,” I said, drawing her attention back to me. “When are you going to get it, that sex is not love, and love is not sex? Why, even after you’ve named your own examples, can you not separate the two?

“Sex, is two bodies rubbing together, for whatever reason. Mainly, in biological imperative, or for the pleasure of at least one of the participants. Any two people can have sex, even if they don’t know each other’s names.

“Love, is something else, entirely. Love is...” I was frustrated. Ciara is not stupid. Yet I was having a hard time getting the idea across to her. I tried again. “Sometimes I hate the English Language,” I stated. “Did you ever look up the four Greek concepts of love? I know I’ve mentioned them to you.”

“No, I remember you saying something, but I never did.”

“Didn’t you have philosophy 101 in college?”

“No, it wasn’t required.”

“Fuck, what’s this world coming to?” I asked, rhetorically.

I sighed, then started again. “Okay, four Greek words, all encompassed by the English word, ‘Love.’ Eros, agape, philia, and storge. Damn, you’re going to have to do a lot of reading, Pet.”

“Master,” Lance offered, “I can loan her my copy of Lewis’, The Four Loves.”

I nodded. “A very good place to start. I’ll just hit the top level definitions, then. You can study it more, later.

“Hm ... where to start?” I pondered. “How about Agape? Love of those you don’t know, and likely, never will. Agape, is the love that drives you to donate to charities. Red Cross, UNESCO, The Humane Society ... Philosophers say that agape, is as God’s love for us.